Yoda

Ok, so its Anderson dressed in daddy's work clothes, but he sure does look like one of his favorite Star Wars characters!

The Middle, Finally!

So here it is, the week in review. We had lots of fun with Gramma Dee Dee and of course the time flew by with lots of activities to keep us busy. The start of the week brought sore throats and potential spoiling of our week, but thanks to prayers and vitamins they passed quickly. Our week was filled with soccer games, flag football games, shopping, more shopping, picnics, pictures (professional), projects at home, the jumping monkey, and lots of hugs & laughter.

Mom and Trevor playing skee ball at Chuck E. Cheese

Mom and Ryan having a race.

Anderson the builder.

Another race.

Cashing in tickets. We had over 400 . . . then when we got home I opened my purse to find a cup with over 100 more tickets in it! So, of course we had to make another trip to Chuck E. Cheese later in the week. We cashed in our tickets AND played a few more games. That time our tickets totaled more than 600!

One night Mom, Kris and I went to P.F. Chang's for dinner.

The Jumping Monkey (fun for a day, but nothing to write home about)

Our soccer players. Sorry, there aren't any football pictures, yet. Ryan plays on the Stingray team, Trevor on the Shark team and Anderson on the Grasshopper team.

Ryan was so hot after the game. He scored three of their five goals!

Future soccer player.

The boys were so happy to have Gramma at their first soccer and football games.

And there you have it. A lot of pictures, but more were taken and lots more could have been. Such a fun week. We are very blessed!

A Beginning, an End, But No Middle. . . Yet

My Mom came to visit last week. We had not seen here in a year! That was way too long! Hopefully that won't happen again!

We had a great time. Here are the pictures of the beginning and end of her stay. The middle will come, soon.

At the airport waiting for Gramma Dee Dee's plane to arrive:
Yes, Cai is walking. . . finally!

Her plane has landed and now the boys are eagerly looking for her!

Cai was only 6 weeks old when we last saw Gramma.

Ryan carrying her luggage and a little extra weight!

And now the leap to the end.

Just after we dropped Dee Dee off at the airport, I took the boys to the Botanical Gardens. We rode the tram around the garden.

And then we walked up the hill to watch for her plane to take off.

The boys waved their last goodbye and then we headed to soccer practice.

Mom, we had such a great visit. We love you! Thank you for taking the time to come, we are so thankful you did. We had lots of fun. We are so blessed by your love and care for us!

Something is missing!

Where, Oh Where has that Nalgene bottle gone? My kitchen counter is so bare and lonely without it!

- -Just another evidence of the sad reality that Katie and Sean have left us! I was so tempted to name this entry, “Another one bites the dust!” Yes, for those of you who have not heard, out beloved Aunt Katie and Uncle Sean have moved . . . To TEXAS!! So, our house was host to yet another going away party, that makes too many - too many loved ones to have said goodbye to!

You may wonder what is up with the Nalgene bottle reference. Well, it is a little joke I have with Katie. She taught an art class at our house last school year and practically every week she would leave her water bottle. Well, once art class ended, we discovered that it was not only art class that made her forget to take her bottle home, no, it must have been that her nalgene bottle was meant for my counter top. There were points where teasingly I would ask her to please leave it when she went home. Well, even with my “reverse psychology” she would still leave it!

Katie and Sean, we love you and miss you so much! We’ll miss your Sunday morning drop ins before church, your presence at the dining room table, your smiling faces and of course your nalgene bottle! (There are more things we'll miss of course, but already I am feeling sad. So, I'll keep it brief).

Here is a photo of Katie and Sean with all their cousins and nephews. We had a goodbye breakfast with the Hughes families and all the kiddos were going to try and “stop” Katie and Sean’s car from leaving!

Silly faces!

JOHNS BROTHERS CONQUER MT. EVEREST!

Ok, not quite Mt. Everest, but perhaps someday?

We went out on a family date the other night to Dick's Sporting Goods. It may not sound like a fun time, but it was! First, we had to get new soccer cleats and then we were off to the climbing wall. Trevor had gone before with Grandpa, but this was Ryan's first time.

Here they are before their big climb.
Ryan getting hooked up and taking in the size of the wall.

I, being the scared, pessimistic mother was shocked at how well my baby did! Ryan started and kept climbing all the way to the top, where he pushed the little red button and the cuckoo clock went off - so the whole store could here that someone had made it to the top.

And here he is propelling down - I guess my baby is a big boy! He had such a great time!

T-Lou getting ready. Last time he only made it to the red shark, so he was determined to get past that this time. He is also pretty competitive - you know if there is a contest he wants to go last, to see how much he has to do to WIN! So, really his goal was the top, like big brother.

Here he is rounding the shark with little difficulty. Still going strong, he passes the shark and is inches from the bell, when . . . .

We hear his all so familiar ear piercing cry coming from the top of the mountain. We cheered and encouraged him, as did the rest of the crowd that had gathered to watch our tiny adventurer climbing. But, to no avail, he could not move an inch further. So, down he came.

Here he is at landing, doing his notorious eye rub - which always goes along with a cry!

He was so mad at himself he would not smile the rest of our time in Dick's. Here he is with his award stickers - we laughed at his placement of them on his shirt!

Well, we will go back again and I know that someday he will conquer that mountain! If any of you live near a Dick's Sporting Goods with a climbing wall. You have got to try it out! It is not that expensive and Tuesday is two for one climbing!

Morning, Partner!

Trevor has been coming down in the mornings dressed and ready for the day! Here is one of my favorites from the past week.

Not only does Trevor come downstairs dressed before breakfast, but he makes his bed, too!

It's So Sad To Say Goodbye. . .

To summer . . . we started school yesterday. It was a good day. I really felt the Lord's grace, as I sought to teach three and manage a very busy one year old. It took us a long time to finish. We started school at 8am and did not finish until 3:30. This morning they woke up excited for school to start - oh, what a joy to my heart!

And To Friends . . . our dear friends moved to MD so that their dad could attend the Pastors College. A couple days before they left, we had our last play date with them. Here are the boys enjoying a popsicle together. We miss you all SO MUCH! It seems strange to be doing school without you just around the corner to team up with for outings and field trips!